Key Insights
- For 45 years, the Mr. and Ms. UAB Scholarship Competition has honored exceptional UAB students.
- The winners were announced Thursday, Oct. 15, during halftime of UAB Football’s winning Homecoming game.
- First alternates are John David Slowikowski and Manasa Vadapalli.
- Mbila and Bias will each receive $2,500 scholarships and serve as ambassadors of UAB for the coming year and UAB Future Blazers Alumni leaders.
Jason Mbila and Morgan Bias are the 2026-2027 Mr. and Ms. UAB. Mr and Ms. UAB first alternates John David Slowikowski and Manasa Vadapalli. Jason Mbila and Morgan Bias have been named the 2026-2027 Mr. and Ms. UAB at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The Mr. and Ms. UAB Scholarship Competition winners were announced Thursday, Oct. 15, during halftime of UAB Football’s winning Homecoming game against the East Carolina Pirates at Protective Stadium.
For 45 years, the Mr. and Ms. UAB Scholarship Competition has honored exceptional UAB students who show true Blazer spirit and excel in academics, leadership and community involvement. The competition, one of UAB’s most important and long-standing traditions, is presented by the UAB National Alumni Society.
Mbila and Bias will each receive $2,500 scholarships and serve as ambassadors of UAB for the coming year and as leaders of the UAB Future Blazers Alumni.
First alternates are John David Slowikowski and Manasa Vadapalli, who will each receive $1,000 scholarships.
Applicants for the competition must demonstrate a record of leadership and active participation in extracurricular activities. The 10 finalists were selected through an interview process, and the winners were chosen through an additional round of interviews and a student vote, held during Homecoming Week.
Mbila, 19, of Huntsville, Alabama, is a junior majoring in biomedical sciences in the School of Health Professions and in the Honors College Science and Technology Honors Program. He is a Student Mentor and Retreat Leader, on the President’s list, and has earned the Provost Merit and Future Blazer Alumni scholarships. Mbila is a UAB TrailBlazer, is on the Leadership and Service Council and in the Blazer Mentorship Collective, and volunteers for Children’s of Alabama and Clearview Cancer Institute. His parents are Monday Mbila and Chichi Mbila.
Bias, 20, of Daphne, Alabama, is a junior majoring in broadcasting in the College of Arts and Sciences and Collat School of Business. Her campus activities include UAB Golden Girls Dance Team and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and she is a UAB Creative intern. Bias won the 2026 UAB Golden Girls Teammate of the Year Award, is a Future Blazer Alumni Representative and is on the President’s list. She is a Blazer Kitchen volunteer, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Pack volunteer and UAB & ME Program volunteer. Her parents are Wade and Chanté Bias.
Slowikowski, 20, of Chelsea, Alabama, is a junior majoring in cancer biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the Honor College Science and Technology Honors Program. He was on the President’s List for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years and was awarded the Presidential Scholarship. Slowikowski is an Honors Ambassador, a UAB Trailblazer and Ambassador, and a lead for International Mentors. He is on the Leadership and Service Council and volunteers with The American Red Cross and the Food for the Journey nonprofit organization. His parents are Wynne Slowikowski and David Slowikowski.
Manasa Vadapalli, 19, of Madison, Alabama, is a sophomore majoring in cancer biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the Honor College on a Personalized Path. She is a member of the Early Medical School Acceptance Program, is on the President’s list and is a Presidential Scholarship recipient. Vadapalli is a UAB Ambassador, on the Blazer Spirit Council and in Alpha Xi Delta. She is a Serve205 project coordinator, a MedLife volunteer coordinator and a volunteer at Children’s of Alabama. Her parents are Suma Vadapalli and Vidyadhar Vadapalli.
The Mr. and Ms. UAB finalists for 2026-2027:
Brayan Castro, 20, of Albertville, Alabama, is a junior majoring in biomedical sciences in the School of Health Professions and in the Honors College on a Personalized Path. He is a RACE 21 Scholar and received SHP honors and an Exemplary Service Award. Castro is an Orientation Leader coordinator, a UAB Ambassador and a resident assistant. He is a volunteer with Serve 205, the Lakeshore Foundation and Aveanna Hospice. His parents are José Tomás and Angelica Castro.
Bhavya Chalasani, 20, Madison, Alabama, is a junior majoring in neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree in the Collat School of Business. She is in the Honors College on a Personalized Path. Chalasani is an Alabama BOLT Scholar, Presidential Honors Fellow and Future Blazer Alumni Representative scholarship recipient. A Trailblazer who is in the Undergraduate Student Government Association and Indian Cultural Association, she volunteers with Equal Access Birmingham, Black Women’s Mental Health Institute and Volunteers Across the World. She is the daughter of Sireesha Myneni.
David Delk, 20, of Franklin, Tennessee, is a junior majoring in public health in the School of Public Health and is in the Honors College Science and Technology Honors Program. He is the USGA Division of Student Services Member of the Year (2026), president of the UAB Ambassadors, a SMART Leader and in the UAB Undergraduate Student Government Association. He volunteers with UAB Serve205, Children’s Hospital of Alabama, and is a volunteer and intern with Impact America. His parents are Jason and Misty Delk.
Harper Howard, 20, of Hayden, Alabama, is a junior majoring in kinesiology in the School of Education. She is the founder of the National Alliance on Mental Illness UAB, a member of NAMI Birmingham and the youngest NAMI advocacy board member. Howard is vice president of Philanthropy for Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity, a member of Best Buddies and in Alpha Lambda Delta. She is Miss Leeds Area 2027 in the Miss Alabama Organization, where her platform is “Peace of mind: focusing on anxiety and mental wellness.” Her parents are Jacqueline and Shane Howard.
Aasim Musani, 20, of Madison is a junior majoring in cancer biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the Honors College on a Personalized Path. He is a PRSTP Scholar, a RACE21 Scholar and on the President’s list. Musani is a UAB TrailBlazer, a Future Blazer Alumni representative and treasurer of the UAB Pakistani Student Association. He is founder of Future Leaders Against Cancer and a volunteer with Equal Access Birmingham Free Clinic and Habitat for Humanity. His parents are Munaf Musani and Shahina Musani.
Diya Patel, 20, of Madison is a junior majoring in neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the Honors College on a Personalized Path. She is a recipient of the Presidential Honors Scholarship, a UAB School of DentistryVEEP Scholar and in the Collat School of Business Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program. Patel is vice president of Internal Affairs in the UAB South Asian Organization and is a CAS Senator in Undergraduate Student Government Association. She is involved in undergraduate research in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology. She is a site leader in the Leadership and Service Council and volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Birmingham and Cahaba Valley Free Dental Clinic. She is the daughter of Rita Patel and Kalpesh Patel.